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c h i k k a
w a n d e r l u s t
TEXT
MAYA O. CALICA
PHOTOS
COURTESY OF ANTON DIAZ
FOLLOW AN
ITINERARY… OR NOT
It’s always good to know what sights
to see, when best to see them and
how much to spend. But when you
get to your destination, something
else might come up — or you may
want to spend more time in one
place instead of another. You have
to allow yourself to be surprised.
By extending a day in Laguna during
a work convention, I discovered the
quiet countryside of San Pablo, which
became the main location of my film
Bwakaw.
You never know when and where
inspiration will strike.
NOBODY KNOWS YOU, SO STOP
CARING ABOUT WHAT OTHER
PEOPLE THINK
Want to wear a hat like the locals? What
about dressing like a Japanese pop
star? Just do it — that’s the fun part of
traveling. You can go to expensive shops
dressed down, or to a small diner in a
dinner suit. Just savor the moment and be
spontaneous. I find I can experience life
almost as if I’m a character in a story that is
unfolding.
IT’S OKAY TO COME BACK
Conventional wisdom says that when you plan a holiday, you should try
to see more of the world instead of going to places you’ve already been
to. But that’s not always true. If you want a truly relaxing trip, go back to
your favorite place. For me, it would be New York or Italy. I’ve already
done the touristy bits; now I can skip the usual sights and just wander
where the locals go. Just don’t expect to experience everything the
same way. You’ll find there is always so much more to
discover, and that makes it worthwhile.
LEAVE YOUR PHONE BEHIND
OR TURN IT OFF
It saddens me when I see people on
vacation spending most of their time
texting or emailing. How can you live
in the moment or discover the world
when you’re too preoccupied with what’s
happening back home? It’s like going ice
skating but refusing to let go of the side
railings.
KEEP AN OPEN MIND
Learn to embrace the unfamiliar. That’s
all part of the adventure — otherwise,
what’s the point of leaving home? Just like
in writing, you may not like where your
story is heading at first; but if you censor
yourself too much because of your biases,
you will wind up telling the same story
again and again.
New York is one
of Jun’s favorite
places
Lake Como
Dressing up at the Warner
Brothers’ TV Convention in LA
A river at the San Pablo
countryside
Milan, Italy
